In reply, the Stags were all out for 238 and guilty of committing a cricketing sin of eating up only 38.3 overs.

Black Caps batsman Ross Taylor scored 75 from 79 balls after the top three of Jeet Raval, Jamie How and Mathew Sinclair were back in the pavilion scoring 4 runs between them.

No 7 Kruger van Wyk scored 51 from 61 balls while Bracewell added 30.

"Ross batted beautifully and was dangerous, as you expect him to be, bringing the run rate down from eight to about six and a half but fortunately we got his wicket," Bradburn said.

So did CD err in leaving out comeback kid Ben Wheeler?

It did strike Bradburn as odd that CD, who didn't return answer-phone calls last night, went into the game bat heavy with just four specialist bowlers, minus allrounder Wheeler.

"Our decision to take the powerplay earlier meant they had to bring the specialists back earlier so they had to use their fifth and sixth bowlers [who] were expensive."CD now play Wellington Firebirds, who beat Otago Volts yesterday by six wickets, at the Basin Reserve tomorrow.

In the other game, Auckland Aces beat Canterbury Wizards by five wickets.